New Zealand may cut postal delivery to only 3 days a week

WELLINGTON, New Zealand – Snail mail may be about to become even slower in New Zealand. The country is considering cutting its postal delivery from six days a week to three.

New Zealand is among many countries struggling to sustain a viable mail system as people turn to the Internet to pay bills and communicate. Mail volumes in New Zealand dropped by 24 percent over the past decade and are forecast to drop by another 25 percent in the next five years.

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Government-owned New Zealand Post on Tuesday proposed changing its charter to require a minimum three days delivery instead of six. The proposal likely would not be implemented before next year.

The possibility has alarmed some consumers and the union that represents postal workers. Others seem ready to accept a reduced service.